Make no mistake, the movement towards cloud computing is a very real one, but before you get overly excited and send all your sensitive and academic information to a cloud, it’s important that you know the pros and cons, as well as the risks involved with this growing phenomenon.

ADVANTAGES

Probably the biggest advantage of cloud storage is the possibility of having access to your data or software from anywhere at any time from any appliance. You no longer have to carry around your laptop, flashdisk or external hard drive to ensure you have your data on hand at all times.

Thanks to data stored in a central location and being accessible via the internet, you can easily share documents and colleagues can collaborate on the same document without having to coordinate changes by email. All your documents will ideally be in one place, making it easier to find your documents. Google Docs for example, stores your documents in chronological order and also allows you to store them in folders.

For companies there are no upfront capital costs and fewer overhead expenses. The organization pays only for using the services; it saves on maintenance, user licenses, and expenses such as electricity and rack space. With cloud storage you needn’t worry about natural disasters – your data will be safe and sound, even if your office burns down or the geyser floods your study.

DISADVANTAGES

As we’ve seen, cloud storage has quite a few advantages, but unfortunately there’s one big disadvantage. It only works if you have internet access. The cloud is dependent on the internet and if the Telkom or Mweb experience problems, the cloud and your data is inaccessible.

Performance is also dependent on internet speed and the number of users accessing the cloud. Even though cloud computing may save companies costs on overheads, the costs of usage can become a nightmare if it’s not monitored and managed. Be very careful when using multiple devices, especially if you share folders with other people. If you share a 500MB file with three other people it will sync three times, in other words a total of 1500MB at your cost. If you sync the file to your pc, iPad and iPhone you pay each time and if you use 3G (which costs between 15c and R1-00 per MB)  this could amount to quite an expense if done regularly. Closely monitor your internet account if you use cloud storage otherwise you might be in for a surprise at the end of the month.

Privacy and security are important concerns when it comes to cloud computing. Safety measures to protect users are in place, but the level of security and privacy provided is still a grey area. There is not enough information to prove or disprove the credibility of the cloud for privacy and security overall. In effect the cloud service provider would be able to access information between the user and company at any time and change or delete data.  

Physical control of the Private Cloud equipment is more secure than having the equipment off site and under someone else’s control. Customer data may also not remain in the same data centre or on the same provider’s cloud. This causes legal concerns regarding jurisdiction. Other issues such as trademark infringement and security concerns regarding the sharing of data resources can also arise.

Unfortunately cloud computing is also vulnerable to threats and more criminals will try to find new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in the system. There are many underlying challenges and risks in cloud computing that increase the threat of data being compromised. So choose wisely when picking a service to use with your important data and make sure it can be downloaded if needed, but also enjoy the flexibility those services provide.

(SOURCES: Regan Januarie (IT User Services), http://www.ahimajournal-digital.com), www.wikipedia.org)

<< What is the cloud?

>>  Which one to choose?

Moenie `n fout maak nie, die beweging na “cloud computing” is `n groot verskynsel, maar voordat jy al jou sensitiewe en akademiese inligting alles die wye wêreld instuur, is dit belangrik dat jy moet weet wat die voor-en nadele, asook die risikos is.

VOORDELE

Die grootste voordeel van “cloud”-berging is die vermoë om toegang tot jou data of sagteware te hê vanaf enige plek, enige tyd en op enige toestel. Jy hoef nie meer jou skootrekenaar, flitsskyf of eksterne hardeskyf rond te dra sodat jy al jou inligting naby het nie.

Aangesien jou data gestoor word op `n sentrale plek en toeganklik is via die internet, is dit makliker om dokumente te deel  en kollegas kan saam aan dieselfde dokument werk sonder om dit met e-pos heen en weer te stuur. As jou dokumente ook op een plek gestoor is, is dit net soveel makliker om te kry waarvoor jy soek. Google Docs stoor byvoorbeeld jou dokumente in chronologiese volgorde en gee jou ook die opsie om hulle in leêrs te sorteer.

Jy hoef ook nie bekommerd te wees oor die veiligheid van jou inligting nie – as jou kantoor afbrand of jou geyser bars en jou studeerkamer verspoel, sal al jou data nog veilig erens ver weg gebêre wees.

Ook vir maatskappye, is daar minder oorhoofse uitgawes. Die maatskappy betaal slegs vir die diens gelewer en spaar op onderhoud, gebruikerslisensies en uitgawes soos elektrisiteit en rakspasie.

NADELE

Soos ons gesien het, is daar `n hele paar voordele verbonde aan databerging op die “cloud”, maar ongelukkig is daar ook een groot nadeel. Dit werk net as daar internettoegang, omdat dit afhanklik is van internettoegang. As Telkom of Mweb dus probleme ondervind, is die “cloud” en jou data onbereikbaar. Werkverrigting hang ook af van die internetspoed en die hoeveelheid mense wat toegang het daartoe.

Selfs al bespaar maatskappye oorhoofse kostes met die gebruik van `n  “cloud” , kan gebruikskostes maatskappye `n lelike knou gee as dit nie gemonitor en reg bestuur word nie. Wees baie versigtig as jy leêrs deel met ander mense. As jy `n 500 MB leêr met drie ander mense deel, sal dit drie keer sinkroniseer – maw `n koste van 1500MB se data. As jy dit sinkroniseer met jou rekenaar, iPad en iPhone betaal jy elke keer en as jy 3G (wat tussen 15c en R1-00 per MB kan kos) gebruik, kan dit `n aardige bedraggie word. Probeer om jou internetverbruik noukeurig na te gaan as jy van “clouds” gebruikmaar – anders mag jy dalk aan die einde van die maand `n onwelkome verrassing kry.

Privaatheid en sekuriteit  is nog `n “cloud” tammeletjie. Daar is veiligheidsmaatreëls om gebruikers te beskerm in plek, maar die vlak van sekuriteit en privaatheid wat nodig is, is nogsteeds `n grys area. Tegnies gesproke kan die “cloud”-diensverskaffer enige tyd toegang kry tot sy kliënt se informasie en ook data verander of verwyder. Fisiese beheer oor private “cloud”-toerusting bly steeds meer sekuur as toerusting  wat nie op die perseel en onder iemand anders se beheer is nie.

Kliëntedata sal ook nie noodwendig in dieselfde datasentrum of selfs op dieselfde “wolk” bly nie. Dit opsigself veroorsaak vrae  op `n regsvlak oor die jurisdiksie van data.

Ongelukkig is “clouds” ook tot `n mate weerloos teen bedreigings en kriminele  sal poog om nuwe wyses te kry om hierdie weeloosheid uit te buit.  Vele onderliggende uitdagings en risikos kom te voorskyn as data bedreig word.

Kies dus versigtig watter diens jy jou kosbare inligting aan wil toevertrou en maak seker dat dit altyd beskikbaar sal wees as jy dit nodig het.

(SOURCES: Regan Januarie (IT User Services), http://www.ahimajournal-digital.com), www.wikipedia.org)